1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical connection block assembly.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Power stud blocks are generally known in the art. For example, Marathon Special Products sells 600 Volt power stud blocks under the catalog numbers 1422122 and 1423122. Power stud blocks are generally used for AC or DC power distribution, such as for a DC circuit in a telecom application. Power stud blocks can be provided in two pole or three poll configurations.
There is a desire to provide an electrical power connection block which is smaller in size than conventional electrical power connection blocks. There is also a desire to provide an electrical power connection block which has modular components to allow multiple different types of connection blocks to be manufactured with use of common components.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical power connection block housing is provided including a first housing piece and a second housing piece. The first housing piece forms at least a portion of a first exterior side of the block housing. An interior side of the first housing piece has a first slot shaped bus bar mounting area. The second housing piece is connected to the first housing piece. The second housing piece has a portion with a first side located directly opposite the interior side of the first housing piece and a second slot shaped bus bar mounting area on the second side of the second housing piece. The first and second housing pieces form a first bus bar receiving area with the first and second bus bar mounting areas located generally opposite each other on opposite sides of the receiving area for capturing a bus bar therebetween.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an electrical power connection block housing is provided including a first housing piece, a second housing piece, and a third housing piece. The first housing piece forms at least a portion of a first side of the block housing. The first housing piece has a first interlock connection section. The second housing piece has a first side with a second interlock connection section directly interconnected with the first interlock connection section and a second side with a third interlock connection section. The third housing piece has a first side with a fourth interlock connection section directly interconnected with the third interlock connection section. The housing pieces form bus bar receiving areas therebetween. The first and third interlock connection sections are substantially a same size and shape.
In accordance with one method of the present invention, a method of assembling an electrical power connection block assembly is provided including steps of locating electrical bus bars between pairs of housing pieces of the connection block, a middle one of the housing pieces having two of the bus bars located against opposite respective sides of the middle housing piece; and intermeshing mating projections and recesses of the housing pieces with adjacent housing pieces to interlock the housing pieces with each other.